According to Jimu News, the woman had suffered from chronic constipation and was constantly worried about her weight. About four years ago, she started using a type of "pink weight loss pill" (xiaofenwan) whose main ingredient is bisacodyl - a stimulant laxative.
Initially, just one pill a day helped her have easier bowel movements. However, the medication's effectiveness gradually decreased over time, leading to a continuous increase in dosage. From a few pills a day, she progressed to dozens, then hundreds. Before being hospitalized, her medication use had reached approximately 800 pills per day.
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Many people misuse laxatives because they believe they can help eliminate the calories they've just consumed. |
Prolonged abuse of the medication caused the body to lose the ability to have natural bowel movements. Each time the medication was stopped, the woman was almost unable to defecate on her own, and also experienced generalized edema, fatigue, decreased urination, and impaired kidney function. Test results showed that her blood creatinine levels had exceeded 300 micromol/L, indicating significant kidney damage.
Upon hospitalization, doctors discovered that the patient was not only heavily reliant on laxatives but also suffered from severely impaired colon motility, malnutrition with a BMI of only 16.5, and persistent electrolyte imbalance. Both potassium and sodium levels in the blood were significantly lower than normal.
Given the long-standing damage and the risk of affecting multiple organs in the body, the medical team decided to perform laparoscopic colectomy and colorectal anastomosis. According to the doctors, the patient's colon had almost completely lost its ability to contract after a long period of continuous stimulation by laxatives. The nerve plexuses and smooth muscles in this area had atrophied, no longer performing their normal function of transporting stool.
Following surgery, the patient gradually regained the ability to have natural bowel movements, kidney function indicators improved significantly, and the patient was discharged for continued monitoring and recovery.
Doctors say this is not an isolated case. In the past year alone, the hospital has received 10 similar cases. All were women, with an average age of around 35, and shared the commonality of using more than 50 laxative pills a day for an extended period. Many were admitted with weight loss, hypokalemia, impaired kidney function, anxiety, or psychological disorders.
According to experts, many people misuse laxatives believing they can help eliminate recently consumed calories. However, this is a completely wrong misconception. The majority of energy absorption takes place in the small intestine, while laxatives like bisacodyl only affect the colon and are not capable of preventing the body from absorbing calories or burning excess fat.
Weight loss after taking the medication is actually mainly due to dehydration and electrolyte loss through diarrhea. Once the body is rehydrated and food is restored, weight usually returns quickly.
Doctors warn that long-term abuse of laxatives can cause chronic dehydration, severe electrolyte imbalances, physical weakness, palpitations, seizures, damage to the heart, kidneys, and many other organs. Some people also experience problems such as insomnia, anxiety, or menstrual irregularities.
Experts advise against using any laxatives, detox teas, or products advertised as aiding in "detoxification," "gut cleansing," or "rapid weight loss" as a weight management method.
Safe weight loss should be based on a balanced diet, regular exercise, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Meanwhile, those suffering from chronic constipation should seek medical attention for proper diagnosis and treatment instead of self-medicating for extended periods.
Source: https://znews.vn/uong-800-vien-thuoc-moi-ngay-nguoi-phu-nu-tra-gia-dat-post1656018.html
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